Page 107 of The Collector

Raven's right hand released his hold and shot up, grabbed the man's throat, and squeezed. The knife wavered. Raven bucked his hips, rolled them both, and slammed the twins' heads against the floor once, twice, until the laughter stopped.

The knife clattered to the floor. Both men lunged. Raven reached it first.

He didn't hesitate. He stabbed—wild, desperate, not aiming, just needing to land something.

The blade sank into the Collector's thigh, deep and deliberate. The man screamed, kicked, and thrashed. Raven pinned him, breath ragged, eyes feral.

"This isn't about pride," he said, voice low. "It's about ending you."

He yanked the blade from the twin's thigh. Blood followed. The man screamed again.

"You took her," he said. "Now I'll take your life."

The Collector coughed, blood in his teeth. "Then do it."

Raven raised the blade again—

From behind him, a sound. A voice. "Stop."

"Marcus, don't you dare kill him," she said, voice low and possessive. "You promised I could have him. You said he was mine. You owe me that much—after everything you've done to me."

Raven hardly recognized Elanah. But her words sliced through Raven's focus, just long enough for Marcus to pull free of his grip.

Marcus bucked hard, using the momentum to flip their positions. Raven hit the ground with a grunt. The breath torn from his lungs. Marcus's hands clamped around his throat—tight, merciless. Raven clawed at his grip, but the weight was crushing, the pressure building behind his eyes. He couldn't breathe. Couldn't move.

The edges of the world began to blur. Darkness crept in, slow and final.

Fucking Elanah.

Then—release. Raven gasped for air. It was like fire dancing through his system as his lungs screamed for more.

The fingers around his throat slackened. Marcus's weight shifted.

Raven gasped, coughing, vision swimming. When he opened his eyes, it was Cyndi's face staring down at him. Her expression was unreadable—calm, almost detached. In her hand, he spotted a machete, its blade soaked in blood.

She'd hit Marcus hard in the head with one solid blow. It was clean cut. His head was cleaved in half, the remains slumped beside Raven like a half-processed carcass.

Raven pushed the body off him, chest heaving. The silence that followed wasn't peace—it was panic.Where the hell was Mynx? Her mother?

Cyndi didn't speak. She didn't need to. She was covered in blood, both her own and Marcus's.

"Cyndi—are you okay?" Rave asked.

Cyndi merely nodded and stared at Marcus's body as if she was afraid to look away.

Raven took off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. Prying the machete from her hand. She was too calm. She was in shock. Raven needed to get them home. He pushed her into Jeremy's waiting hands. She wobbled and then looked at Raven.

"He can't hurt us, not anymore. Can he?"

"No, little one. Not anymore." Raven said.

Raven ran to Mynx. "It's okay, Butterfly, I've got you hold on."

"You found us," she said, her voice trembling with relief. "I was so scared. I thought I'd never see you again."

"I'll always find you, Butterfly," he said, voice thick with regret. "I'm sorry this happened to you. Sorry, I failed to protect you. I warned you—my life isn't a place love survives."

"Raven," she said softly, "I haven't told you this before, but now feels right." Her voice didn't shake like he expected; it was strong as she continued while he released the last restraint.